Jimmy Eat World

Jimmy Eat World: Last Christmas 7''Last Christmas 7'' (2002)
Better Looking Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

Contributed by: maverickScott
(others by this writer | submit your own)
Published on January 7th 2003In a perfect display of holiday giving, the juggernaut that is Jimmy Eat World is giving back to the little people, in the form of this limited edition covers 7". The 7" is especially festive due to three things: 1. The gorgeous artwork created by the talented Nathan Naylor. 2. The pretty green.

In a perfect display of holiday giving, the juggernaut that is Jimmy Eat World is giving back to the little people, in the form of this limited edition covers 7".

The 7" is especially festive due to three things:
1. The gorgeous artwork created by the talented Nathan Naylor.
2. The pretty green vinyl.
3. The A-side of the 7" being a cover of Wham!'s holiday classic "Last Christmas."

Jim Adkins sounds like he was born to sing this song, as the band does a solid job of backing him up. They make the song sound like their own, which is always a good thing, I suppose.

On the flipside of the 7", the group tackles the late-90s techno hit "Firestarter" by the Prodigy. I was very curious as to how this cover would come out, as it's something very unusual to tackle. Amazingly, JEW takes this 3 and a half minute techno romp and stretches it out to around 7 minutes of swirling guitars and plaintive, mournful cries of "I'm the firestarter." They completely reinvented the song, and I commend them for it.

So you like what you're reading thus far, huh? You want to pick this up? Well, realize that this 7" was limited to 3000 copies, and Better Looking has already sold all of them. If you want one, you better book down to your local record store or hope they're fairly cheap on eBay [at the time I wrote this, the cheapest one on there was six and a half bucks]. I would recommend this for Jimmy Eat World completists, cover song addicts, and vinyl fetishists. If you fall into one of those categories, pick this up.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon sible for them in any way. Seriously.

waste_elite (January 12, 2003)

"Songs are about concentration camps, killing people, overthrowing the government, and many other tough political matters"

the score's for that comment

Anonymous (January 12, 2003)

Jimmy Eat World has to be the most hardcore band out there. Lending Rollins-like vocals to a lould, fast romper-stomper background beat, JEW blow Blood For Blood away when it comes to tenacity, ferocity, and just about everything else. Songs are about concentration camps, killing people, overthrowing the government, and many other tough political matters. I just hope JEW doesnt go too far and star a revolution.

rightcliqificus (January 11, 2003)

this band is so pointless. they're one of the most stale bands around and i'm not sure how they ever got associated with punk. the band themself asked the same question

Anonymous (January 10, 2003)

"I really do think they've done a fine job of taking a hard, fast, in-your-face electro-rock song and making it their own"

Turning into a slow, boring, passive song.

th3space (January 10, 2003)

To Sticky_Floor:

It is a complete rework of the original..and they did tone the lyrics down a bit. But I really do think they've done a fine job of taking a hard, fast, in-your-face electro-rock song and making it their own...wether for good or for ill, covers don't have to be exact homages to the originals, I personally prefer it if they aren't. *shrug*

Anonymous (January 10, 2003)

If the changed the lyrics, it wouldn't be much of a cover, now would it?

Sticky_Floor (January 10, 2003)

to Th3Space:

The "Firestarter" cover, in my opinion, is not very good. it's not fast like the original, and sounds NOTHING like it. Although, the lyrics are the same, just sung differently.

Anonymous (January 9, 2003)

This score is for getting drugs for christmas, what a great gift idea

waste_elite (January 9, 2003)

"Have there been any catchier songs than "sweetness" or "the middle" in the past 2 years? I still can't get them out of my head."

radio jingles are catchy, "i'm a slave 4 u" is catchy, STD's are catchy, that doesn't make any of those things good.

th3space (January 9, 2003)

And tadow! Here's the article! Click This! Maybe I should've done the search first?

th3space (January 9, 2003)

Isn't the 'Firestarter' cover supposed to end up on some cover-comp due out later this year? I remember that being mentioned on here some time back...if I recall, The Prodigy is actually supposed to be on it as well. The cover is a damn sight better than I had anticipated...color me shocked. It's almost got a shorter, sweeter, more to the point 'Goodbye SkyHarbor' feel to it (with the new vocal method, natch).

Anonymous (January 8, 2003)

oh yeah... man, that cover impresses me so much i'll overlook their shitty music and the fact that i don't have a turn table to get it.

evilmidget2 (January 8, 2003)

its funny that their initials are JEW

oh yeah, they suck

Anonymous (January 8, 2003)

Have there been any catchier songs than "sweetness" or "the middle" in the past 2 years? I still can't get them out of my head.

Anonymous (January 8, 2003)

Jeremy A's on DRUGS YA'LL!

Anonymous (January 8, 2003)

I saw this at our friendly HOT TOPIC and decided since I had $4.99 that I would cough it up, even though I don't have a record player (that works anyway). I love jimmy eat world, so that played a part in me buying this, but the art work on here is just beautiful. I can't wait to actually listen to these songs, even though I still havent even opened this biatch yet. Maybe I can sell it for like 1001 or some shit. Naw fuck it, I'll keep it. I love these guys, i have since like clarity first came out you know, so why not keep this. I mean its mine, mine! They try to steals it, no! Its mine, my own, my precious...

-jeremy A. from Grand junction Colorado

Anonymous (January 8, 2003)

"Sucks. Strictly for kids who want to look all sensitive, even when they're all alone."

true dat

Ok, if you just don't like this. Fine. But to think this is sensitive music is ridiculous, why the fuck would you even try to argue that?